Captive Inu

Chapter 25

"Kagome, are you positive it wasn't just a dream?"

If Kagome wasn't feeling as the world was about finish crushing her, she would have glared at Kouga in annoyance. As much as she didn't want to believe it, she remembered clear as day. Souta had traded her and her parents' lives for the throne. He'd given her to that soulless spider -even knowing of his cruelty- had allowed those cursed dragons to take over their lands, had allowed their people to suffer, and kamis knew what else.

"That bastard! I'll cut him down, I swear I will," Inuyasha snarled, placing his hand on Tetsusaiga's hilt.

"Calm yourself, Inuyasha," Kouga said, though he was shaking with fury. "As much as I would love to crush his heart in my hand, there's simply too much at risk to act out."

Kagome sat in the conference room with Inuyasha, Kouga, and the miko whose name was Kikyo sitting across from her. Sesshomaru sat next to her, as still as a wall. Kagome knew he too was furious, though only the hard look of his eyes gave it away. Bankotsu sat at the head of the table with his two advisors on either side of him. His chin was resting in one hand while he used his free hand to drum his fingers on the table top. Kazu was also there on the other side of Sesshomaru, along with another of Bankotsu's top generals, Suikotsu. After briefing Bankotsu on the suspicions of the east and Naraku, Kagome had had to deliver her latest memory.

"The bad news is far from over," Kikyo said. Her voice was soft yet strong and pretty mellow. "I'm quite sure you all have heard of the Shikon no Tama, the jewel of four souls? My ancestors have been the jewel's guardians for thousands of years, since its creation in fact. The jewel is very powerful and can be destructible if placed in the wrong hands. It was stolen from us some centuries ago and we have been searching for it since. We have even begun to believe that it was thoroughly destroyed."

"What's your point?" Suikotsu interrupted quite rudely. It was clear he didn't like the miko. Of course, it was a natural and mutual feeling considering demons and spiritual humans have been enemies for as long as time.

Kikyo glared at him. "Some time ago while I was in the north, I felt the jewel's presence. Its very strong presence. The jewel felt tainted and completely evil. I could sense it was only a matter of time before some great evil unleashed itself."

"The jewel..." Kagome's brow furrowed as she thought. "The spider hanyou always wore a black jewel around his neck. I'd always feel such darkness coming from that thing each time he'd get near me. I've always thought it was simply him." Remorse slid through her. "Kamis, I should have known better."

She shook her head when Kouga made a move to reach across the table to put a comforting hand on her. She didn't want him or anyone touching her at the moment, not when she was so close to breaking down. Perhaps sensing her rising emotions, Inuyasha thankfully spoke.

"So this Naraku has the jewel, yet you sensed it being in the north. Would that mean he is there?"

Kikyo frowned. "I do not believe so. When I sensed the jewel in the north, it was more like the power of the jewel I was feeling, not the actual jewel itself. That could mean Naraku is using the jewel as an influence over someone, or plenty of someones."

"The dragons," Kagome breathed. Everyone looked to her quizzically. "When I'd often see his minions, mostly the dragons, they'd always have this dead look to them, as if they were simply shells he was controlling. They didn't exactly seem alive, they had no scents, and they were far faster and stronger than the average dragons." She looked at Kikyo. "Could the Shikon jewel really be powerful enough to control an entire species so great in numbers?"

Kikyo gave a lift of her shoulder. "Perhaps. But being able to control so many would..." She broke off, her eyes widening slightly. "To be able to control such a large mass so efficiently would take a great amount of time to accomplish."